systematically moving to mobile government excellence

Mobile government excellenceA research-based systematic approach

Tom Voirol, Global Head of User Engagement, Reading Room

Workshop agenda

1 Overview

2 Understanding your audiences

3 Developing m-Government frameworks

4 Design and test the citizen experience

5 Reflection: Insights and strategies

1 Overview

Drivers for m-government

Partners in m-government

Types of mobile services

What do we mean by mobile?

Drivers for m-government

• Cost reduction• Process

efficiency

• Context-awareness• Direct, ultrapersonal

contact

• Improved decision-making

• Better service provision

• Demand for transparency

• Desire for participation

Citizen-driven

Value-driven

Economy- driven

Technology-driven

1 Overview

Partners in m-government

Government

Citizen

Business

1 Overview

G2G

G2B

G2C

Types of mobile services

Information services• Policies• Procedures• Government

information

Interactive services• Calculators• Interactive

learning• Social media

Transactional services• Consuming

government services

• Citizen-specific

Integrated services• Combining services

& data from different ministries / boards

1 Overview

Information services

1 Overview

MOH iHealth SG

Interactive services

1 Overview

German Customs

Transactional services

1 Overview

Swedish Tax

Integrative services

1 Overview

GovHKNotifications

What do we mean by mobile?

1 Overview

Pick one organisation for your table

“”

Until you understand your customers – deeply and genuinely – you cannot

truly serve them


Rasheed Ogunlaru


Internal audiences

Segmenting your audiences

Undertaking behavioural research

Capturing user requirements

Internal audiences


Capture business requirements from all your departments:

• Communication requirements

• Engagement requirements

• Behaviour change requirements

Examples:

• “not enough people know about the night bus service”

• “we want to know what bothers people most about travelling on the MRT”

• “we would like more people to travel off-peak”

Exercise: Internal audience requirements

Identify the top three business requirements for the chosen organisation.

Time: 10 minutes + 2 minutes presentation per group



Start by focusing

Brainstorming of audiences

Don’t forget these…

Prioritisation

Demographic analysis

Psychographic analysis

Social technographic analysis


Start by focusing

If your ministry / statutory board covers a range of distinct topic areas, focus on one for your mobile engagement strategy

Example: Land Transport Authority (LTA) deals with:

• Public transport: Bus services and timetables, MRT / LRT, night buses, taxis, rail infrastructure projects

• Road use: Traffic situation, ERP, parking, construction projects


Brainstorming of audiences

Everyone in the room gets a voice

Moderator runs a tight ship, may or may not contribute

5-10 minutes maximum

Everything that is said is written down, even if silly / duplicate / off-topic

No commenting, positive or negative

Use items already mentioned to springboard other ideas

When stream of ideas dries up, moderator makes one more round around the room to give everybody one more chance

After the brainstorming, clean up duplicates only


Don’t forget these…

Current clients / customers / users / constituents

Potential clients / customers / users / constituents

Current employees

Potential employees

Your own management

Political entities (e.g. ministers)

Other public sector entities in Singapore

Similar authorities in other countries

Media / journalists / observers


Example: Brainstorming


Prioritisation

Play divide-the-dollar

Everyone in the room gets equal vote

Each participant gets $12 to spend

Everyone spends their money on audiences according to how they prioritise them

Nobody can spend more than $3 on any one audience

At the end, add up


Example: Prioritisation


Demographic analysis


A

G

R

E

C

O

Age

Gender

Religion

Education

Culture

Occupation A Greco

Psychographic analysis


O

V

A

L

P

I

Opinions

Values

Attitudes

Lifestyle

Personality

Interests

πOval Pi

Social technographic analysis


Exercise: Audience segmentation

Pick one focus area from the organisation your table chose

Brainstorm audiences for the focus area

Play divide-the-dollar to identify the 3 most important audiences

Identify the most likely demographic markers for the top audiences

Identify the most likely psychographic markers for the top audiences

Estimate the most likely social technographic distribution for the top audiences

Time: 45 minutes + 5 minutes presentation per group



Why research

Attitudinal versus behavioural research

Quantitative versus qualitative research

Surveys

Online behavioural analytics

User interviews

Eating your own dog food


Why research


Attitudinal versus behavioural research

People lie (or bend the truth), mostly to tell the interviewer what they think they want to hear

Attitudes do not necessarily lead to action

Attitudinal research tends to focus on big picture sentiment

Behaviour, particularly perceived unobserved behaviour, is more reliable than stated opinion

Behaviour, resulting in action, is what achieves goals set out by the organisation

Behavioural research can be easily used at any stage of a design process for testing and validation

Attitudinal research Behavioural research


Quantitative versus qualitative research

Statistical inference possible

Easy to increase sample size

Limited scope of findings

Great for tracking improvements over time in a numeric fashion

Best for proving enhancements have worked

No statistical inference possible

Time consuming to increase sample size

Allows delving into scenarios to uncover problems outside what is assumed

Best for designing experiences

Quantitative research Qualitative research


Surveys

Ask as few questions as necessary

Only collect demographic information that you absolutely require

Ask about behaviours rather than attitudes“What do you think about XYZ”

“Describe the last time you did XYZ”

Ask about past behaviour, not hypothetical behaviour“If there were an app that showed you XYZ, would you use it?”

“When you want to know XYZ, what do you do?”

Ask open questions, not closed questions“Do you use ABC when you do XYZ?”

“Can you describe how you use ABC?”


Online behavioural analytics

Google Analytics, Adobe (Omniture) SiteCatalyst, WebTrends…

Hits

Visits

Duration of visits

Pages per visit

Entry / exit pages

User paths

Goal conversions

Mobile usage


Goal conversions


Type Description ExamplesDestination / Funnel A specific location

loadsThank you for registering page

Duration Sessions that last a specific amount of time or longer

10 minutes or longer spent on a support site

Pages/Screens per session

A user views a specific number of pages or screens

5 or more pages or screens have been loaded

Event An action defined as an Event is triggered

Document download, social recommendation, video play, ad click

Destination / funnel goal


Mobile usage


User interviews

2-5 people per audience group

30-45 minutes per interviewee

Do not ask “what would you like from XYZ mobile?”

Explore people’s lives and how they intersect with your organisation

Delve into pain points and emotional states

No more than 5-10 starting questions

Let your interview be guided by what you learn

What would a good question be in your area?


Example findings

“I’m never sure whether there is another bus I could take from a nearby stop”

“Sometimes I’m out and about with my mum who can’t walk well anymore. I wish I had a way to avoid waiting for a bus, only to find out it’s one of the old ones with steps”

“It happens quite a lot that I’m tired or so lost in my handphone that I missed my stop and have to walk quite a way back. If only my phone could wake or alert me at the stop before mine”


“”

The golden rule for every businessman is this:Put yourself in your customer’s place



Orison Swett Marden


Become the customer

Mystery shopping

Pay attention to your emotional states

Can be difficult to snap out of “knowing too much” mode

Be honest with yourself about your experience

How could you mystery shop your products/services?


Exercise: Behavioural research

Step 1: For your table, pick one of your audiences identified. Put together a list of interview questions exploring the audience’s relationship to you in a way that touches on the mobile context.Time: 15 minutes

Step 2: Send one of your team to another table. At your table, interview the person who has just joined you to learn more about them, their situation and their touchpoints with your organisation. Think about how mobile can help with these touchpoints.Time: 20 minutes

Step 3: Present your one most important and one most surprising finding to everyone.Time: 5 minutes per table



Develop personas

Identify usage scenarios

Capture user journeys


Develop personas


Develop personas

Personas are fictitious representatives of your audience groups

They have personal information, a back story, interests, desires…

Personas make requirements tangible

Each persona is an amalgam of the people you’ve interviewed / observed / learned about

Each persona usually contains: • Full name• Profession• Relationship to you (audience type)• Age• Photo• Life and family situation• Back story relating to your topic• Interests, desires, media habits, transport needs, anything that relates to your topic


Identify usage scenarios

For each persona develop a range of scenarios

Each scenario relates to a question in your persona’s mind and sets the stage for one or more interactions with your organisation

It explains what the person is thinking, why they are about to interact with you, and what they want to get out of it

Each persona will typically have between 3 and 50 scenarios

Recommended form:“As an <audience type> I want to <action to take> so that <benefit>”


Scenario examples

“As a commuter I want to know what the quickest way is from my home in Bishan to my work in Tanjong Pagar so that I don’t have to leave so early in the morning”

“As a temporary resident I want to check on the status of my employment pass application so that I can know whether it will arrive in time for my travel overseas”

“As a taxpayer I want to know what impact the changes to the CPF laws will have on my ability to purchase an HDB flat”

“As a Singaporean I want to register on the website so that I can download the latest kindness movement wallpaper”


Capture user journeys

You can aggregate scenarios into journeys

Journeys track a persona’s interaction with you from initial contact through all touchpoints to final dealings with your organisation

Journeys can play out over a few minutes or many years

When developing journeys you will likely discover additional scenarios that you have missed in the first round

Not all scenarios fit into a journey. Some are just one-off touchpoints


User journey example

Eligibility

• Can we apply for a HDB flat as we are only PRs, not citizens?• Is there a maximum age for buying a HDB flat?

Financing

• How much does a typical not-too-old HDB flat in Punggol cost?• What’s the most expensive flat we could afford so that we can still save a little

for holidays each year?

Availability

• What 3-room flats are available near my parents’ place?• Can we bid for more than one flat, in case we don’t get our first choice?

Application

• What is the process for applying to buy?• What happens if we change our mind after application?


Emotional journey


User journey storyboarding


User journey, literally


Exercise: User requirements

Step 1: Develop one persona for your chosen audience group. Give him or her the attributes you feel help you understand that person

Time: 10 minutes

Step 2: For your persona, find between 5 and 10 scenarios. Focus on scenarios with a high likelihood of including a mobile touchpoint

Time: 20 minutes

Step 3: Find one likely user journey for your persona

Time: 5 minutes



Understanding digital channels

Evaluating mobile media

Content strategy

Assembling an m-Government framework


Website / microsite

Email and SMS messaging

Social media

Offline touchpoints

Mobile channels


Website / microsite


For our SG government clients, 45-60% of visits are from mobile

Ideal for information dissemination, transactions

On mobile, do not make people:

• Fill out forms or sign up to things

• Provide information they don’t know off the top of their head

Mobile optimised or mobile responsive is essential

Use personalisation

Personalisation


Using what you know about a user to tailor the experience to them.

Change:

• what content you display

• what functionality you offer

• what emails you send out

Based on:

• the person’s transaction history

• their content consumption patterns

• their explicitly stated preferences

Personalisation


Email and SMS messaging


Is the email designed for easy reading on mobile?

Can they action immediately? People use their commute to “weed out” their inbox. CTA must be possible while on the go

Do not send from donotreply@ address. Allow two-way communication

SMS is the most immediate push notification

Personalise emails

• more than just “Dear <NAME>”

• use what you know about them

• recognise their situation and offer options accordingly

Social media


Social media


Two-way communication is essential

Speak in a human, conversational voice

Limited capacity to write in a mobile usage context

Which social networks are most used on mobile?

Which social networks are most mobile?


Offline touchpoints


Recognise people as they interact with you offline

Strong CRM capability is essential to capture all online and offline interactions

Data quality must be maintained

Singapore has the benefit of NRIC


Mobile web

Mobile responsive design

Native mobile apps

Development by third parties


Mobile web

Separate mobile site

Redirect mobile traffic to it

Always provide a way for users to revert to the desktop version

Duplicated

• Site management

• Content

• Design elements

• Code

• SEO efforts


Mobile optimised: Responsive design


Mobile optimised

Use where mobile content and functionality must differ strongly from desktop version

Code, styling duplicated. Must be maintained in two places

Worse for SEO

Need to manage multiple URLs

Can load faster

Use where mobile content and functionality are not radically different from desktop version

All code, styling exists only once. Maintenance easier

Better for SEO

All on one URL

Can load more slowly

Dedicated mobile site Mobile responsive website


Mobile responsive

Responsive design

Responsive content

Responsive functionality

Mobile first (progressive enhancement)

Desktop first (graceful degradation)


Distributed through app stores

Access to full device features

No connection required to launch

Native mobile apps


Native mobile apps

Access to all device features:

• Gesture-based navigation

• Offline use

• GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer

• Camera & microphone

• Push notifications

• Monetisation

Native availability (home screen)

Expensive to develop

Less flexible due to installed base

Long approval time

Cannot support all devices

Native apps pros Native apps cons


Mobile apps: OS spread


48.97%47.39%

3.64%

Singapore May 2014

iOSAndroidAll others

Mobile apps: How many?


Mobile web / native hybrid apps




Data.gov.sg data sharing principles1) Data shall be made easily accessible

Data shared publicly shall be shared on data.gov.sg or OneMap. For data that requires registration for access (e.g. APIs or chargeable datasets), a sample of the dataset should be made available prior to registration.

2) Data shall be made available for co-creationAll data shared publicly should adopt data.gov.sg's Terms of Use or ensure that the current Terms of Use allow for co-creation.

3) Data shall be released in a timely mannerAll data should be made available as quickly as possible. Information on the frequency of data updates shall be provided in the metadata.

4) Data shall be shared in machine-readable formatUnless it is not available, all data shall be published in machine-readable format (e.g. XLS, CSV).

5) Data shall be as raw as possibleData should be shared in as granular a form as possible but without compromising on data confidentiality or privacy.

Development by third parties: Examples


Carpark rates Dengue Lah! Pickaskool

Content strategy


Content strategy

Stop being a salesman Start being a publisher


“”

“Content strategy plans for the creation, publication,

and governance of content”

What is content strategy?


Kristina Halvorson, Brain Traffic

Herding content


Content types…Narrative(telling)

Utility

(helping)

Reward

(giving)

Social(connecting)

Stimulate conversation


The role of a content strategist


Content strategist

Content contributor

Content contributor

Content contributor

Community manager Editor

Content workflowStrategis

eAnalyse sources

Categorise

StructureCreate

Stakeholder review Edit Legal

review

EditApprove

Publish Test/ track


Editorial calendar


Social posting flow chart


Is it in your core competency?

Does it require some

explanation?Is it an original

thought?

Is it something you want

feedback on?

Does it have to do with people in

your network?Is it happening

right now?

Does anyone care?

Blog it

Facebook it

Tweet itSource: Zach Olsen, By Data Be Driven

NOYES

NOYES

NO

NO

YES

YES

NO

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

Assembling an m-Government frameworkDept/Persona Website Mobile app Social media

Business requirement 1



User requirement 1

User requirement 2

User requirement 3

User requirement 4

User requirement 5

User requirement 6


Interactive Group Exercise

Develop a framework for your chosen organisation, aggregating all the business and user requirements gathered and mapping them to mobile engagement channels.

Time: 30 minutes



Low-cost, pragmatic techniques

Practical testing approaches

Commissioning external digital specialists


Research techniques

A few research tips

Mockups

Prototypes

Agile development


Research techniques


A few research tips

DIY interviews

n=5

Friends & Family

Watch and learn

Stop being you!


Mockups


Prototypes


Agile development


Start small (MVP)

Build out from there

Release quickly, release often

Test in the wild

Agile development


Research

Design

Build

Test

Release

Listen



Contextual enquiry

Lab testing

A/B testing

Contextual enquiry / lab testing


A/B Testing



Considerations when employing or commissioning digital specialists for the design and development of your mobile touchpoints:

• Business focus

• Strategy first

• Research-driven

• Technology agnostic


Interactive Group Exercise

Pick one of the mobile touchpoints identified in the previous exercise.

Sketch a mockup or sketchflow of a mobile experience satisfying that requirement at that touchpoint.

Time: 5 minutes to pick touchpoint

10 minutes class discussion

30 minutes to sketch mobile experience



Applying the learnings to your situation

Where to from here?


Note the three points you have learnt today that

• are most immediately applicable in your organisation, or

• are likely to have the most impact on your mobile efforts

• need the most convincing internally

Time: 10 minutes

Group discussion


Where to from here?


Where to from here?

Group discussion:

• Recruitment considerations

• Structural considerations

• Procurement considerations

• What else is holding you back?


Image creditsMeeting table: Flickr user mnadi

Orange segments: Flickr user VerseVend

Brainstorming: Flickr user learnscope

Coin purse: Flickr user awee_19

Social technographics ladder: Forrester Research

Bird watchers: Flickr user OakleyOriginals

Dog food: Flickr user BuzzFarmers

Butterfly net: Flickr user therichbrooks

Scales: Flickr user swamibu

Aqueduct: Wikimedia Commons

Mobile lab: blinkux.com

Painter: Flickr user h-k-d

All other imagery: Public domain stock photography / unsplash.com

systematically moving to mobile government excellence

Government & Nonprofit